Cycle to Work

The Cycle to Work scheme is a government initiative that encourages alternative travel and reduces environmental impact. Not only does it reduce your carbon footprint, but it allows you to spread the cost of getting a new bike or city bike hire membership, make income tax and national insurance savings, and also increase your fitness.

This benefit is administered by Cyclescheme - a leading provider of Cycle to Work schemes in the UK. All employees can apply to join the Cycle to Work scheme after completing three months’ continuous service.

Benefits of the scheme

• Save on your Income Tax and National Insurance contributions, as instalments are deducted from your gross pay
  
• Choose from over 500 brands of bike, from over 2000 bike retailers across the UK
• Typical savings of 32% on the cost of your certificate (a new bike and safety equipment, or a Cyclescheme Bike Rental annual membership)
• Spread the cost of your certificate over a year with 12 monthly instalments
• At the end of the hire period you have a number of options, ensuring the best savings possible
• You can also use your certificate to purchase a Santander Cycles yearly membership with the bike rental option

For more information about how the Cycle to Work scheme works, visit www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth

How to enrol

Follow the steps below:

1. Check how much you can spend and save
Before you enrol for this benefit you will need to check that any salary sacrifice won't take your gross pay below the National Minimum Wage. This is dependent on your age and how many hours you work, and your basic salary.

To see how much you can spend and save, use the online savings calculator on the Nuffield Health pages of the Cyclescheme website at: www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth and click on 'What can I save?' > Check Advanced Calculator. If you are unsure about how much you can spend, please contact the PSCTeam at psc@nuffieldhealth.com

2. Find a bike retailer and choose your bike and equipment
Once you are satisfied that you are able to meet the monthly instalments from your gross pay, you can choose which bike retailer you would like to get your bike from and pay them a visit. They will take the time to talk about what sort of bike and equipment are best for you and provide you with a written quote for these.

3. Request your secure certificate online
Once you have chosen your bike you can return to the “Pick your package and apply” section of the Cyclescheme website and request your certificate for the value of your quotation, or select ‘Cyclescheme Bike Rental’ for a Santander cycles annual membership. 

Cyclescheme will ask us to check your eligibility and, once approved by us, they will confirm your request. A hire agreement which outlines your monthly hire payments will also be sent to you to sign. Once you have signed this agreement, Cyclescheme will email your certificate. Please allow approximately 30 days for your certificate to be processed.

4. Redeem your certificate
Take your certificate to your chosen bike retailer, where you can exchange it for your bike and equipment. You might want to call them first to check these are currently in stock. You will also need to take photographic ID with you, such as your passport or driving license. If you have applied for a city bike hire membership, you will receive a code to redeem during the online application process.

Your salary deductions will then start on the next available pay.

Additional benefits

Get access to a range of extra benefits through your exclusive MyCyclescheme account - www.cyclescheme.co.uk/active-benefits

FAQs

• Who can apply for the scheme?

  This benefit is available to employees only. Bank workers, self-employed workers, consultants and other workers on a Nuffield Health site are not eligible to apply for this benefit.

• How does the scheme work?

  The scheme gives you access to a bike and safety equipment, or an annual Cyclescheme Bike Rental membership, under a Hire Agreement between you and Nuffield Health.
  
  You choose a bike and any safety equipment from a participating store and obtain a quote. You then visit www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth to request a certificate for the value of the bike and equipment. If approved, Nuffield Health pays for the full cost of the bike and equipment and you will receive a certificate for your chosen value to redeem at the store.
  
  If you have requested a Bike Rental certificate, you will receive a code for you to redeem during the online application process.
  
  You pay back the cost of the certificate by way of a salary sacrifice arrangement. This means that you agree to forego an amount from your salary each month in return for the benefit of a bicycle and safety equipment, or a Cyclescheme Bike Rental annual membership.
  
  Because the salary sacrifice payments reduce your gross pay, the amount of Income Tax and National Insurance that you pay each month is reduced, which means typical savings of 32% on the cost of the equipment for a basic rate tax payer.

• What is Cyclescheme Bike Rental, and how do I apply?

  The Cyclescheme Bike Rental is an option within the cycle to work scheme that allows you to purchase an annual Santander Cycles membership in London, saving 32%-42% on the cost of the membership thanks to salary sacrifice payments.

  1. Apply to join
     Log into www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth and select 'Cyclescheme Bike Rental scheme’ and submit your request
  2. Pay from your salary and save
     If approved, Nuffield Health pays for the full cost of the membership. The cost will be recovered from your salary tax-free
  3. Get ready to ride
     Redeem your code for a Santander Cycles yearly membership

  Once you have your Santander Cycles yearly membership, you can:

  • Get a bike: use the app or your membership key to hire a Santander bike in London from over 750 docking stations
  • If your cycle journey is less than 60 minutes, it’s covered by your membership
  • Pay to ride for longer: you’ll pay £1.65 for every additional 60 minutes cycling.
• What is a salary sacrifice?

  A salary sacrifice scheme is where you give up part of your salary from gross pay (pay before deductions) for an agreed time, in exchange for a non-cash benefit, such as hiring a bike for work.

• Is there a limit on the total value of the certificate I can request?

  There’s a calculator on Cyclescheme’s website that will work out how much you can spend.
  
  The maximum certificate value you can apply for is the equivalent of a month of your net salary, capped at £3,000 (including VAT), but your salary cannot go below the National Minimum Wage so it may be less than this. To calculate your savings, you can use the online savings calculator on the Nuffield Health pages of the Cyclescheme website at: www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth under the “What can I save?” section.

• What happens if my salary falls below the National Minimum Wage?

  If after the salary reduction has been made, your salary falls below the National Minimum Wage, you will still be allowed to participate in the scheme. In this case you will be offered a bike Certificate for a fixed amount, capped at £499, payable over a 12-month period as a net deduction from your pay.

• When will the salary deduction begin?

  Salary deductions will start on the next available pay after you have obtained your certificate.

• What happens if I do not use the full amount I have selected?

  It is important to consider the amount you can afford and the type of bike that suits your needs.
  
  Once you have chosen your value and completed the Hire Agreement you will not be able to increase or decrease the amount you have chosen. Your salary will be reduced by the amount that you originally agreed within the salary sacrifice letter even if you do not use the full amount.

• Will my Certificate expire?

  Cyclescheme certificates do not expire; as such, you don’t necessarily have to rush to redeem your certificate straightaway. However, please note that, although your Certificate will not expire, your monthly payments will start on the next available pay after your eCertificate arrives in your inbox. So, regardless of whether or not you choose not to redeem straightaway, you must expect your salary deductions to start appearing on your payslip.

• Can I come out of the scheme, if I no longer wish to cycle to work?

  Consumer Credit law does not allow the Hire Agreement to be cancelled; once you have signed the Hire Agreement, all outstanding monies will have to be paid back. If you have redeemed your certificate, there is a 14-day cooling off period when you can change your mind. If you haven’t redeemed your certificate, you will have 14 days from the point of being sent your eCertificate / Bike Rental redemption code to cancel. After this, you can’t come out of the scheme, and you won’t be able to apply for a refund on monthly payments taken.

• The price of my bike has increased since I applied, can I cancel and reapply?

  You have two weeks to request a cancellation from date the certificate is issued. Please go to www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth.
  
  You can then reapply and if approved a new certificate will be issued. Please allow approximately 30 days for your certificate to be processed.

• What are my responsibilities?

  You need to insure the bike to protect it from loss and theft. This is a condition contained within the Hire Agreement that you sign. If your household insurance policy cannot be used to cover the insurance on your bike, you can obtain a 10% discount on insurance policies at www.cycleguard.co.uk/cs. You also need to maintain your bike. All bikes come with a free first service and a minimum of a year’s warranty. After this it is then your responsibility to maintain the bike. Your local partner shop will be able to give you advice about ongoing service requirements for the bike

• What happens if the bike is stolen before the end of the Hire Agreement?

  You are responsible for the bike and when you sign the Hire Agreement you are agreeing to insure the bike. If the bike is stolen, your monthly salary reductions will continue until the end of the Hire Agreement, however as you will no longer be able to commute to work the remaining payments will be taken from your Net salary, which means you will not receive any savings on the reductions.

• Can I apply for a Cyclescheme certificate for a member of my family?

  No, the Cycle to Work scheme is for the benefit of employees only to obtain a bike for use to travel to and from work.

• Do I need to use the bike for work?

  Yes, its main purpose should be for travelling to and from work. On making your selection you are confirming that at least 50% of the bike’s use will be for eligible work use. Eligible use includes cycling from home to the train station, cycling from the station to work, cycling from home to work (the reverse journeys of these are of course also eligible), cycling from one office to another.
  
  There is no special requirement for you to record your trips.

• Does this mean I have to cycle to work for half the year?

  No. The percentage of the bike’s overall usage is the important factor (50% must be for eligible work journeys).

• Who owns the bike?

  Nuffield Health owns the bike for the duration of the Hire Agreement.

• What happens at the end of the Hire Agreement?

  If you have requested a certificate for a bike/equipment, these remain the property of Nuffield Health throughout the initial 12 month hire period. At the end of the Hire Agreement period, ownership is transferred to Cyclescheme, who will contact employees with three options:

  1. Under a new “extended use” agreement with Cyclescheme directly you can pay a small, one off refundable deposit (3% for certificate under £500 and 7% for certificates £500+) and continue to use the bike for 36 months (zero monthly payments). At the end of this period you can either choose to keep the bike (Cyclescheme retains your deposit and you become the owner) or you send the bike back to Cyclescheme and receive a full refund of your deposit
  2. Take ownership of the bike immediately by paying Cyclescheme a higher value in accordance with HMRC valuation (18% for certificate under £500 and 25% for certificates £500+)
  3. Return the bike to Cyclescheme
• Can I participate even though I am under 18?

  Yes, however a Guarantor (parent or guardian) will need to counter-sign the Hire Agreement.

• What happens if I leave during the term?

  If you leave the company for any reason during the term of the hire period you will become liable to pay a termination fee of an amount not exceeding the outstanding Monthly Salary Reductions.
  
  The termination fee will be paid from your net salary in accordance with the salary sacrifice letter. If your final net salary is insufficient to pay the fee you will be required to pay the outstanding monies to the company within 14 days.

• What happens if I go on maternity leave?

  If you are entitled to Enhanced Maternity Pay, your salary sacrifice payments will continue as normal. However, if you are due to receive Statutory Maternity Pay, your salary sacrifice payments must be placed on hold. Nuffield Health may be able to pause the Hire Agreement and payments until you return to work, however this decision is dealt with on an individual basis. If you need to discuss this, please email psc@nuffieldhealth.com

Any further questions?

For further information about how the Cycle to Work scheme works, visit www.cyclescheme.co.uk/nuffieldhealth

For further information about the city bike hire option, visit Bike Rental